diff --git a/app/controllers/spree/admin/search_controller.rb b/app/controllers/spree/admin/search_controller.rb
index 1ddb023b3a..7032a17e22 100644
--- a/app/controllers/spree/admin/search_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/spree/admin/search_controller.rb
@@ -18,19 +18,28 @@ module Spree
       end
 
       def customers
-        @customers = []
-        if spree_current_user.enterprises.pluck(:id).include? search_params[:distributor_id].to_i
-          @customers = Customer.
-            ransack(m: 'or', email_start: search_params[:q], first_name_start: search_params[:q],
-                    last_name_start: search_params[:q]).
-            result.
-            where(enterprise_id: search_params[:distributor_id].to_i)
-        end
-        render json: @customers, each_serializer: ::Api::Admin::CustomerSerializer
+        render json: load_customers, each_serializer: ::Api::Admin::CustomerSerializer
       end
 
       private
 
+      def load_customers
+        return [] unless valid_enterprise_given?
+
+        Customer.ransack(
+          m: 'or', email_start: search_params[:q],
+          first_name_start: search_params[:q], last_name_start: search_params[:q]
+        ).result.where(enterprise_id: search_params[:distributor_id].to_i)
+      end
+
+      def valid_enterprise_given?
+        return true if spree_current_user.admin?
+
+        spree_current_user.enterprises.where(
+          id: search_params[:distributor_id].to_i
+        ).present?
+      end
+
       def ransack_hash
         {
           m: 'or',
diff --git a/spec/system/admin/order_spec.rb b/spec/system/admin/order_spec.rb
index c25d5c13c1..ef43bd5b2d 100644
--- a/spec/system/admin/order_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/system/admin/order_spec.rb
@@ -755,7 +755,6 @@ describe '
       end
       
       it "finds a customer by name" do
-        pending("issue #9684")
         serching_for_customers
       end
     end